Governor Larry Hogan today issued a proclamation declaring September 11 through October 10 as Day to Serve month in Maryland, and encourages all Marylanders and state employees to choose at least one day to participate in or host a volunteer activity. The Day to Serve initiative unites Marylanders in their volunteer efforts and recognizes the exceptional community service that occurs year-round in the State of Maryland. In response to this year’s public health challenges, for the first time, opportunities to volunteer will be available both in person and remotely.
“As we continue to navigate the pandemic and the many diverse issues facing our communities, unity and service have never been more important or needed,” said Governor Hogan. “Maryland is a leading state for volunteerism because of our compassionate people and their dedication to join in service with our neighbors and our communities.”
The Day to Serve initiative includes Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia, each of which tracks statistics including the number of volunteers, hours served, and the pounds of food and supplies donated in the spirit of friendly competition. In 2019, more than 15,000 Marylanders dedicated more than 60,000 hours for communities across Maryland. Among the four regions, there were a total of 361 service activities, making Maryland the forerunner with 271 total volunteer activities.
“We are grateful to serve in an administration that supports and encourages volunteerism in our state,” said Steven McAdams, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. “Our outreach into Maryland communities has given us an opportunity to observe, first-hand, how volunteers from all backgrounds can build stronger communities. The people of Maryland bring great pride to our state.”
In conjunction with Day to Serve, the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, along with the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs, is partnering with the Happiness for Heroes campaign. The campaign is designed to share messages of support, gratitude, and hope to the 186 assisted living residents and 286 skilled-nursing residents that call Charlotte Hall their home. As part of this initiative, community members are also encouraged to share their gratitude and support for Maryland’s first responders and frontline workers. A list of ideas is available on the Day to Serve website.
To further promote a spirit of volunteerism, Governor Hogan has once again granted four hours of administrative leave for state employees to participate in a volunteer activity of their choice from September 11 to October 10. In addition to the many state employees who will be participating as individuals, several agencies plan to organize projects throughout the state to encourage employee participation.
Volunteers are asked to post pictures from their service activity with the hashtags “#MDDTS2020” and “#iServeMD” to Facebook and Twitter and tag @MarylandGOCI.
Marylanders seeking volunteer opportunities are encouraged to check the Day to Serve event map periodically, as events will continue to be added. Volunteer service event organizers are asked to register events on the Day to Serve webpage.
